Actors have the Emmys, musicians have the Grammys and builders have the HOBIs - awards that recognize the highest level of achievement among Connecticut contractors.

The statewide Home Building Industry Awards for 2013 were handed out late last year for a variety of projects in the region, including major updates for an architecturally significant house in Stonington, a custom home overlooking the Pattagansett River in Niantic and a condominium requiring extensive renovation at Steamboat Wharf in Mystic.

Here are some of the highlights of the local award winners as determined by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut.

All construction was completed last year:

Best New London County residential remodel, $250,000-$500,000

Builder Nort Wheeler of Mystic River Building Co. in Old Mystic and architect Christopher Arelt of Nautilus Architects in Old Lyme combined to renovate a 2,100-square-foot waterfront condominium at Steamboat Wharf in Mystic.

One of the home's chief puzzles was solved when it was determined that a machine roomless elevator - placed where a chimney had been - could solve the problem of accessibility to the three-story home.

So the condo was gutted, hallways were widened and architectural details were added in keeping with a desired nautical flair.

"We raised the lower level sunken living room to prevent flooding, and the new man cave serves as an ideal retreat during Red Sox season, while providing extra sleeping space for visiting college students," according to a project description.

The second floor was set aside for two sleeping quarters, including a high-ceilinged master bedroom that opens to a sun deck. The top floor includes a new designer kitchen with granite countertops and a dining booth built for six.

Best New London County residential remodel, $100,000-$250,000

For Denise Nott of Nutmeg Building & Remodeling in Ledyard, the challenge of an extensive remodeling on Meadowbrook Lane in Mystic was trying to update the space without neglecting the charming aspects of the original house.

Working with Mystic architect Gwen Cukierski of Home Design Associates, Nott took about four months to remodel the home owned by Karen Walker overlooking Williams Cove and Mystic Harbor. It was the same place where Walker grew up, and she wanted to retain aspects of the home that stirred childhood memories.

"One of the major challenges was blending the old style with the new style," Nott said in a phone interview.

The house also had zoning restrictions that determined how an addition would be placed and the space would be configured. The original 1,064-square-foot house grew by nearly 600 square feet, not including a new one-car garage.

The home's exterior was resided and painted, and new wood floors and an updated kitchen was added.

All of this was accomplished, Nott said, while keeping the home's look from street level as unobtrusive as possible by retaining the original low roof line.

Outstanding New London County custom home, under 3,000 square feet

BROM Builders of Norwich built a special home overlooking a saltwater marsh at on Brainerd Road in Niantic.

"This custom home was designed to maximize wonderful water views of the Pattagansett River and accent and utilize the natural features of the lot itself," according to a project description.

Greg Hanner, project manager, said in a phone interview that this was BROM's second custom home for the same customer. The open-floor-plan home included two outdoor living areas and an in-ground pool cut into an embankment.

"It was built to entertain," Hanner said.

Unobstructed views to the water were paramount, so a security fence around the pool was built with this in mind. Stone from the lot was repurposed to construct an Irish dolman - a natural stone sculpture - in the front.

Best adaptive reuse

The renovation of Chester Savings Bank into an upscale restaurant known as Six Main involved a major reimagining of an 1800s brick and limestone building.

Nick Sapia of Old Lyme-based Sapia Builders Corp. converted the original space into a commercial kitchen for a five-star restaurant while adding a teaching area, server station and, most important, a cathedral-ceilinged dining room with period moldings for an elegant dining experience.

The restaurant also included a seated bar area in the dining room, outdoor patio, walkways and many more challenges behind the scenes.

The winning house built by Uccello Development of Rocky Hill, on Fox Hopyard Road, is known as the Stonington model and is on the market for $599,900.

"The project is 20 percent built," said Vivian Senft, listing agent for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Old Lyme, in a phone interview. "It's gaining momentum as the market continues to improve."

With geothermal heat and green construction, the homes at Fox Hopyard come with a one-year golf club initiation fees prepaid. Tennis courts are also nearby, and Fox Hopyard is committed to building a pool complex at some point, said Senft, who expects work on phase 2 of the development to start by springtime.

BROM Builders of Norwich built a special home overlooking a saltwater marsh on Brainerd Road in Niantic. The focal point of the open kitchen is the 16-foot-long boomerang island with overhang for stools. The residence was a 2013 HOBI winner for outstanding New London County custom home, under 3,000 square feet.

A flowing Stampcrete patio surrounds the pool area and built-in hot tub at the custom home on Brainerd Road in Niantic. The residence overlooks a saltwater marsh.

A stone dolmen was built in the front yard to symbolize the client's Irish heritage.